Very large format measuring 20 ½" x 29", image size is 16" x 19 ½". Only 5,000 copies made! Printed on heavy-stock coated paper in Riga, Latvian SSR literally weeks or perhaps even days after Latvia had been invaded by the Red Army and annexed into the Soviet Union. Stalin's government did not lose time in familiarizing the Latvian population with the faces of his henchmen.

In excellent condition, no significant wear to the obverse. The image and all the lettering under it are in sharp focus, crisp and clear.

Lazar Kaganovich (Лазарь Моисеевич Каганович, 1893 - 1991) was a leading figure in the Soviet government, party, and economy, member of the Presidium of the Politburo of VKP(b). One of the staunchest supporters of Stalin, he was instrumental in Stalin's ascension to the pinnacle of power. After Lenin's death, in the midst of the fight for power among the top Party leadership, Stalin relied on Kaganovich so much that he appointed him General Secretary of the TsK of the Communist Party of Ukraine, the biggest and most important of the Soviet republics.

Stalin appointed Kaganovich to lead major economic projects where forceful measures, fear of punishment, cruelty and disregard of individuals and whole communities could yield Stalin's desired results quickly. Organizing grain requisitions in the North Caucasus regions (tens of thousands exiled to Siberia or starved to death), leading People's Commissariat of Transportation where fear of retributions led to drastic reduction of the number of accidents and a dramatic improvement of efficiency of Soviet railways, - these are just two items in the long list of Kaganovich's achievements.

In 1935, Kaganovich was appointed to lead Stalin's general plan of reconstruction of Moscow, including construction of the first lines of the subway, the famous Metropolitan with palatial stations and platforms. As the construction's "crisis manager", Kaganovich generously used forced labor in addition to regular workforce, which allowed to open the first Metro lines on 15 May 1935, only 6 months after the planned date of 7 November 1934, the 17th anniversary of the October revolution. From 1935 to 1955, the Moscow Metro was named after Lazar Kaganovich.

Unbridled flattery of Stalin and eager participation in Stalin's repressions earned Kaganovich safe passage through Stalin's Purges. He was released of all his posts only in 1957, and expelled from the Communist Party in 1961. Retired with all privileges of his former status, he lived very comfortably until his death in 1991 at the ripe age of 97. Rumor has it that he died while watching an interview with Gorbachev and Yeltsin on TV. Supposedly, his housekeeper heard his last words. The words were "this is a catastrophe".

Please note that the 1-ft. ruler in our photo is for size reference.